*** Adrian Caine steps out of a gate in the airport, fresh off a red-eye connecting flight to Salt Lake City, Utah. He's wearing a black long-sleeve shirt with the Taproot logo on the chest, faded Old Navy jeans, and black 10-eye Doc Marten boots. Silver Oakleys with black lenses rest just above his forehead. A black Jansport backpack is slung over his right shoulder, and he's pulling a black and blue Jansport suitcase on wheels behind him (an absoulte must for anyone doing any sort of travelling, of course). His blonde hair is freshly shaven close to his head, about 1/8 of an inch long. He strokes his short blonde goatee for a moment while he looks around, going over the multitude of signs hanging from the ceiling. He sees one that says "EXIT", and heads in the direction it's pointing. He hears a recording of an unconvincingly cheery female voice over the intercom system ***
Welcome to Salt Lake City, Utah! Please enjoy your stay!
*** As he gets away from the gate, the walls become huge floor-to-ceiling windows. The early morning sun is overwhelmingly bright, so Adrian pulls his Oakleys down over his eyes. He continues walking, thinking about what's happening in his life. He's living out his dream. He's in the EWA, and he's about to get on a shuttle van that will take him to Provo, Utah to join up with the rest of the guys. Tonight, he wrestles in the first match of the EWA's house show in Provo. It's been years since Adrian Caine has stepped inside an EWA ring. Then, known as Damian Starshot, he had a chance at fame. He instantly shot to the top of the card, wrestling Zed on several occasions and almost beating him more than once. But he didn't beat him. He couldn't beat him. Adrian knew it was time to walk away from his dream, and come back when he could do it RIGHT. He now feels confident that he CAN do it right, and he has every intention of doing just that ***
HEY!!! HEY!!! CAN I GET YOUR AUTOGRAPH?!?!?!
*** Adrian is jarred from his wandering thoughts by the screams of a child, maybe 12 years old. He turns to see a girl running toward him with an ear-to-ear grin on her face. Again, she asks for an autograph. Adrian smiles back at her ***
Adrian Caine - Um, sure! You can have an autograph!!!
*** Adrian pulls up his sunglasses and pushes them back up onto his forehead as the girl approaches ***
Girl - You cut your hair!!!
Adrian Caine - Well, yeah, but it wasn't THAT long last time! Only about an inch longer than this!
*** As the girl gets right up next to him, her look of joy disappears. It's replaced by a look of confusion, which rapidly turns to a look of anger mixed with disappointment. Adrian gets nervous, having no idea what he's done to offend the little girl. The girl speaks with a distinctly snotty tone in her voice ***
Girl - YOU'RE NOT EDGE!!!
*** Adrian does a double take, more confused than ever. He then realizes what has happened. No, he's not Edge, and this little girl clearly hates him for it ***
Girl - I knew you looked too short and puny!!! ASSHOLE!!!
*** Adrian's jaw drops as the girl sneers, turns, and angrily walks away. He shakes his head, pulls his Oakleys back down over his eyes, and walks away towards the exit with his head hung low. He gets to the exit, and walks out as the automatic glass doors slide apart to let him through. He gets outside, and sees a maroon van with a wide silver stripe running the length of the vehicle. "Road Runner" is printed above the stripe in matching silver. He nods at the driver, and walks over. He climbs in through the sliding door on the side, and slumps down in his seat. The driver turns and looks at him ***
Driver - So you're headed to Provo, eh? Hey, wait a second...I...I feel a little silly askin' you this, but are you Damian Starshot??
*** Adrian looks up a little, and pulls his Oakleys off with his right hand. He looks at the driver for a second before nodding ***
Adrian Caine - Yeah, I used to be.
*** The driver's eyes go wide ***
Driver - YOU'RE THE MAN!!! Remember that double-underhook suplex off the top rope through the announce table?! Man, I thought you and Zed were DEAD!!!
Adrian Caine - We almost were. I came close to landing my neck across the front of the table, and Zed hit head-first into one of the TV monitors. That was such a dumb move on my part...
Driver - No way!!! That was THE BEST!!! And the Supernova?! Man, you DEFY GRAVITY when you do that move!!!
Adrian Caine - I have a strong vertical leap, it's not that amazing.
Driver - BULLSHIT IT'S NOT!!! Can I have your autograph?!?!
Adrian Caine - Um, uh, sure! I just rejoined the EWA under my real name, do you still want it signed Damian Starshot?
Driver - You're back in the EWA?! FUCKIN' A!!! Nah, man, sign your real name!!!
*** Adrian reaches into his backpack and pulls out one of the glossy 8x10 promo photos the EWA had printed up for him. In the picture, he's standing in front of a curtain of grey cloth with his hands on his hips, wearing his new purple and white ring attire. He's far more muscled than a man of 5 feet and 7 inches should be. He has the build and musculature of WWE star, Batista. He's about as imposing as a man of his height can be. His muscles are tight, fully tensed and ready to spring with the energy that makes him stand out when he gets in the ring. Damian Starshot used to be described by critics as a human battery, overflowing with energy. The picture definitely conveys this. Adrian pulls out a Sharpie marker, and writes "To my first and best fan. - Adrian Caine" across the bottom right of the picture, and hands it to the driver. The driver takes it and looks at it ***
Driver - Shit, man!!! Thanks!!! This fuckin' RULES!!!
*** Adrian chuckles to himself ***
Adrian Caine - I aim to please.
*** The driver puts the autographed photo on the passenger's seat, and pulls away from the curb. He leaves the airport, pulls out onto the road, and heads for Provo, Utah. A few minutes go by before Adrian speaks again ***
Adrian Caine - I've gotta' say, I'm humbled by the fact that you still remember me after all this time.
Driver - Remember you?! How could I forget you?! You were like...like...I dunno! Kidman's mat wrestling mixed with Rey Mysterio's high flying mixed with enough power to toss around guys twice your size!
Adrian Caine - Heh heh...yeah. The size came from lucky genetics and a LOT of gym time. The mat wrestling came from a few years doing the amateur gig in high school, and the high flying was actually INSPIRED by Mysterio. Once I saw him doing that stuff, I wanted to push myself and see just what I could do. But I've been training pretty hard for my return. I spent a few years doing some shootfighting, working on my ground game. I've got a lot of submissions in my repertoire now. And I personally think the rest of my game has only gotten better.
Driver - Damn, man! You're gonna' be unstoppable!!!
Adrian Caine - I sure hope so, man. I sure hope so. Tonight, though...I find out. ...A new beginning.
*** Adrian takes a deep breath, and begins to mentally prepare for his non-televised debut match tonight. The driver continues taking him toward Provo...toward the EWA...toward his destiny ***
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